Chapter 9

By the time I arrived at the mansion, it was well past 4 p.m.

I sent away the flustered maid who asked where I’d been, and quickly unpacked my bags.

‘It’s nice not having to gag the servants.’

Even if they made a fuss, the staff would be off duty soon. I didn’t have to worry about Kid finding out.

Telling Seniel wouldn’t harm me either. As long as Kid didn’t hear, that was all that mattered.

I rustled through the shopping bags I’d thrown on the bed. A vest style piece of armor was on top, so I naturally picked it up first.

‘Should I wear it starting now?’

In the novel, Kid didn’t like the daytime and rarely came out unless it was something major. Still, there were a few instances where he appeared during the day.

‘Though that only happened after he developed quite a bit of affection for the female lead.’

Even so, it was best to be prepared for any situation.

‘Why didn’t Kid like coming out during the day again?’

While inspecting the vest for any loose threads, I tried to recall Kid’s personality.

‘Ah, I remember now.’

There were two main reasons Kid avoided the daytime.

First, he hated seeing people smile in the sunlight.

Second, there were too many eyes around for him to get away with murder.

Truly, Kid had a personality that made you question his humanity.

The odds of him coming out during the day were slim, but I couldn’t relax just yet.

‘Unlike Seniel, Kid could take control of the body anytime he wanted.’

Maybe it was because he had a stronger sense of ownership over the body than Seniel. Either way, if he wanted to come out, he could.

‘Even if I’m laughing and chatting with Seniel, I could suddenly come face to face with Kid…’

I knew the chance was low, but the mere thought sent chills down my spine.

‘Better to wear it now, just in case.’

I quickly undressed and put on the vest underneath my clothes.

From now on, I’d only wear clothes I could put on by myself. Even if the maid noticed the armor, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but she’d probably annoy me with questions like “Why are you wearing armor?” or “Are you always this anxious?”

‘I don’t want to deal with anything annoying besides Kid.’

I needed to conserve all the mental and physical energy I could.

I started to shove the electric shock device, more precisely, the holy power shock device, under my pillow, but then pulled my hand back.

‘The maid might find it during cleaning and put it away somewhere.’

For now, I left it in my desk drawer and decided to move it under the pillow right before bed.

‘It’s not like Kid’s petty enough to search my bedroom, right?’

I felt uneasy putting the shock device in the drawer.

In the original story, Kid was never shown searching Vivi’s room, but he didn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d be above it either.

‘Still, it’s better to have it and risk it being found than not have it at all. At least I could use it in a confrontation.’

Finally, I crouched down beside the bed to hide the fake ID. I grabbed the adhesive I bought from the shop and stuck the ID to the underside of the bed frame.

I lowered my head and checked beneath the bed. Unless someone intentionally checked under there, it looked like nothing was there.

‘Perfect.’

I dusted off my hands.

Tomorrow, I’d start gathering evidence of Kid’s murders first thing in the morning.

Exhausted, I plopped down on the floor.

‘How am I going to survive tonight…’

To prepare for Kid’s appearance, I mentally rehearsed lines about the sweet moments I shared with Seniel.

I had to memorize my lines just in case I got tongue-tied in front of him. What kind of life was this?

‘What if he asks for proof?’

It’s not like you can provide evidence for emotional intimacy, but that bastard would definitely demand some.

I pushed myself up from the floor.

I remembered seeing some flowers blooming nicely in the garden. Maybe I should pick one and give it to Seniel.

* * *

While Vivi was preparing for war, Seniel was just returning home from the temple. It was already 6 p.m. He looked exhausted as he splashed some water on his face.

“I’ll be honest. I said nothing happened last night, but something almost did. I don’t care who you kill. I just want to live.”

He couldn’t focus on his work all day.

“Don’t do anything. Just stay still.”

Even though the smart thing would’ve been to stay far away from her, she had told him to do nothing like she knew everything and had it all under control.

‘I really just have to stay still…?’

It made no sense. But he couldn’t ignore her either.

‘Is she one of Kid’s accomplices?’

Why else would she tell him to stay still?

‘…But even if she is, what can I do about it?’

Seniel was well aware of his own uselessness. If he at least had some perseverance, he might try to fight the situation. But he didn’t even have the strength to oppose Kid anymore. He was simply too tired from the years of struggle.

Thinking of Vivi, a dark thought crossed his mind.

‘Maybe it’s better if she is an accomplice. At least that way, she won’t be killed by Kid.’

He didn’t want to see people around him die anymore.

What was worse was that sometimes, Kid’s euphoric thrill from killing transferred to him, and Seniel could feel it too. He never wanted to feel that terrible pleasure.

Even if those victims were people who had tormented Seniel for years.

Clinging to a shred of hope, he headed straight to the dining room to keep his promise to her.

‘Maybe she’ll tell me a real plan over dinner.’

Wait. Had he ever told her what time he got off work?

As he imagined her waiting for him, he realized he’d never set a time for dinner.

He began to worry that Vivi might just be waiting for him without even knowing when he’d arrive.

Almost running now, Seniel entered the dining room that hadn’t been used in over ten years.

Under the glittering chandelier, a lavish spread of land, sea, and air delicacies steamed on the table. The table hadn’t been used in years, but it looked pristine thanks to meticulous care.

A wine glass worth a commoner’s monthly salary tilted in her hand. She took a sip of water, locked eyes with him, and smiled faintly.

Her cherry-red eyes were innocent, unreadable. She downed her water and gave a delayed smile.

Her light pink ponytail swayed gently as she moved her hand.

As he stood frozen, she greeted him first.

“You’re here? Now that I think about it, I never actually said what time we’d have dinner.”

“When did you start waiting?”

“Hm… not long ago. I guess you always get off work around this time?”

“…Yes.”

“You must be hungry. Sit down.”

Seniel hesitantly took a seat, watching her closely. How long had it been since he had a normal dinner conversation with someone? He started counting, then gave up. It didn’t matter anymore.

* * *

Their greetings ended quickly, and an awkward silence settled over the dining room.

I shot a sideways glare at Seniel, who looked like he’d dipped his face in honey.

He hadn’t taken a single bite. Just held his utensils and occasionally poked at his food while sneaking glances at me.

‘…I guess I’ll do this.’

I wasn’t hungry to begin with, and eating in silence with someone tiptoeing around me didn’t help.

‘Still, I need to build up stamina to make it through the escape.’

I forced the food into my mouth and chewed mechanically. It was probably the most expensive meal I’d ever had, but I couldn’t taste a thing.

Eventually, I put down my utensils. When I looked Seniel in the eyes, he immediately followed my lead and set down his fork.

He clearly wanted to say or ask something.

He seemed eager to continue the conversation.

“…”

Ignoring his hopeful expression, I asked bluntly.

“Do you have something to say?”

“…I just want to know why you asked to have dinner together.”

He seemed to think this meal carried some big meaning.

“I already told you this morning. To survive Kid.”

He looked confused at my plain answer.

I understood why. From a third person perspective, dinner had nothing to do with survival.

But I had no better explanation.

Seniel frowned as if trying to make sense of it, then stood up. His expression looked like a man who’d just lost hope.

“I should go outside.”

“Sit down.”

He didn’t listen and turned his back to me. Just like I had turned my back on the officiant during the wedding.

The only thing the me from that day and the current Seniel had in common was that we couldn’t leave this place.

Still seated, I said,

“I survived last night too. Just trust me.”

Seniel turned back around. He clenched and unclenched his fists nervously.

Seeing how he was shaken even by irrational words, I got a sense of how to persuade him.

“Will you trust me?”

What he needed was reassurance.

“I don’t even know if I’ll wake up alive tomorrow morning…”

But at the very least, I had to stop him from provoking Kid like he did yesterday. If it meant keeping him alive, I could pretend to be confident.

“…Then could you at least tell me what your plan is?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t share that. But trust me.”

How could I tell him I’m planning to stab him in the back and run?

‘Still, since it’s tied to the female lead, he’ll be able to find love and the peaceful life he wanted.’

I pointed to his chair.

“You must be hungry. Sit down.”

Eventually, Seniel sat back down.

“Well done. I’ll come greet you first thing in the morning, so don’t be surprised.”

He looked like he might cry, then his expression eased. He gave a small nod.

“…I’ll behave.”

Good boy. I exhaled a quiet sigh of relief so he wouldn’t notice.

I resumed eating, sneaking glances at him. He picked at his food half-heartedly, clearly lacking any appetite.

I felt bad for him. He was completely in the dark and had to trust me. But I didn’t want to comfort him. The reason was simple. I didn’t want to get involved with him and I didn’t want to grow closer.

When I finished eating and set down my utensils, he quickly followed suit.

It wasn’t like we were close enough for me to urge him to eat more, so I simply stood up and ignored him.

Outside the dining room, soft moonlight streamed through the corridor windows. I felt my nerves begin to tighten.

“Where’s your room, Seniel? If we’re headed the same way, we can go together.”

“…In the annex.”

At the word “annex,” I glanced toward one of the separate buildings.

I hadn’t received a full tour from the butler, but I assumed the detached building was the annex.

‘He lives far away.’

I figured I’d give him the flower here before we parted.

“Then I’ll give you your gift here. Take it.”

I thrust a single yellow tulip into his hands like a forced sale.

“W-Why are you giving me this…?”

Because of Kid, obviously. Why else?

“It’s just a gift. Make sure you put it in a vase. Got it?”

Unable to resist, Seniel clumsily took the tulip.

I wonder if I just looked like a crazy person to him.

Maybe I was. But when survival is on the line, what wouldn’t I do? I waved goodbye.

“Thanks for dinner. Let’s eat together tomorrow too. Sleep well.”

“Don’t worry about me”, I added and walked away.

* * *

Seniel watched Vivi’s retreating figure and unconsciously took a step forward. He almost said he’d walk her back, but thankfully swallowed the words.

‘What right do I have…’

He stopped and stared blankly at the tulip. He didn’t think it was just a gift. It had to be related to Kid.

Maybe it was laced with some odorless, tasteless poison that would kill him overnight. It would  help him pay for his crimes.

He brought it close and sniffed. Only a faint floral scent.

‘Or maybe it’s a code…’

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being played. But he had no choice. He was powerless.

Still, Seniel earnestly hoped she would stay alive.

* * *

7 p.m.

Back in my room, I took a quick bath with the maid’s help.

Once I was clean, I dismissed the maid and took out my protective gear.

I put it on under my pajamas.

‘Is it too noticeable?’

The satin material clung tightly, showing every curve. The textured armor faintly showed through.

But I had no choice.

‘It’s not like I can skip it.’

I tied my hair up tightly to prevent it from being grabbed or blocking my view.

After tying it up, it felt like I had an extra bump on my head.

I pulled the holy shock device from the drawer and placed it under my pillow.

‘Artifact ring’s on, armor’s on. Good.’

Lying on my side, I reached under the pillow. The device’s solid shape felt reassuring.

It was now 8 p.m.

I tried to calm my pounding heart and closed my eyes. To last the week, I needed rest. I started counting sheep.

Despite my fear of Kid, exhaustion from last night’s poor sleep quickly set in.

* * *

In my dream, a soft piece of cloth kept brushing my cheek. It didn’t hurt, but it was annoying.

“…Stop it…”

I didn’t know if I’d said that in the dream or out loud. The dream felt too real.

The cloth ignored me and kept tapping my face, tickling me.

Reality was already rough, and now even my dreams were harassing me. The unfairness made me want to cry.

Frustrated, I flailed my arm and shouted.

“Stop it, you son of a bitch…!”

Someone caught my wrist.

I pulled, trying to yank it back, but they held tight.

As I struggled, a cold dread settled over me. Like realizing you’re late before even checking the clock.

‘No way…’

I opened my eyes wide and something yellow playfully tapped my cheek one last time.

As I focused, the blurry shape became clear.

And under the lamp light, I locked eyes with Kid.

His eyes curved sweetly.

“You sure know how to talk like a common thug.”